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"The increasing tendency towards precariousness is a very important issue which, nowadays, challenges social cohesion and sustainable development in most developed societies. This tendency is inscribed in the de-territorialization of the economic processes, based on a liberalization logic and a new mode) of work organization which, in the name of competitiveness and international competition weakens job security and social rights. In Portugal, job insecurity is a central issue that affects more than forty-five per cent of the active population. This figure includes only workers with fixed-term contracts, part-time employees, unemployed workers and self-employed with no employees. How are the Portuguese trade unions reacting to this heavy tendency in the Portuguese society? In order to protect from precariousness, is it enough to use the traditional strategy of political pressure? In particular, what type of relation do the Portuguese trade unions have with those workers most affected by precarious and flexible forms of work? " (author's abstract)

"Demographic pressures and the sustainability of the social protection systems ensure increasing the percentage of older workers in employment is at the top of the EU political agenda. Recent data demonstrate that increased employment among the 55-64 age group has been one of the most dynamic aspects of the EU labour market, rising 7.8 percent between 2000 and 2007. However, there is widespread ignorance about the quality of jobs held by this age group. Early retirement is often underpinned by discourse blaming older workers for not being able to adapt to technological and organizational changes. Sharp asymmetries in older worker employment rates between European countries refute simplistic explanations based on stereotypes suggesting, rather, the importance of the different national approaches to active ageing. In this paper, we challenge some highly diffused ideas that encourage discriminatory practices against older members of the workforce and analyse the quality of older worker employment in European Union countries." (author's abstract)